Electric train signaling equipment.



PATENTED} MAR. 14,1905.

W B. LANE. ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNALING EQUIPMENT. APPL ATION FILED DEC. 2] 19 WZmZZZw 1m WW Z PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

W B. LANE. ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNALING EQUIPMENT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.,

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC TRAllN SIGNALING EQUIPMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,865, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed December 21, 1904. Serial No. 237,786.

To all who/1t it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IN. BRITTON LANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Train Signaling Equipment, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the art of train signaling on railroads employing the block system for controlling the movement of trains. It involves as its essential features a pair of parallel relatively higher and lower rail-lines between and parallel with the track-rails and extending throughout the length of railway-track to be provided with the block system, these parallel lines being divided at intervals into longitudinal sections electrically insulated from each other, each pair of the sections forming a block and the blocks being electrically connected in a manner to cooperate with signal-circuit mechanism provided on locomotives traveling on the track and operate the signal on one or both of two locomotives when located on different predetermined blocks in the system.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan diagram of a railway-track provided with my improved arrangement of block system. Fig. 2 shows, on a scale enlarged over that observed in Fig. 1, a longitudinal section of the track with the blockrails in side elevation and the contact-brushes suspended from the bottom of a locomotiveengine which is equipped with an electric signaling device in a circuit containing a polechanger connected with the suspending medium. Fig. 3 is a section of a preferred form of the brush-suspending.device, taken at the line 8 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. showing the block-rails in cross-section and the brushes connected with the pole-changer contained in the circuit of the signal employed on a locomotive-engine, said circuit containing another set of pole-changers operatively connected with the reversing-lever employed on the locomotive. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the polechanging device represented in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 isa diagrammatic view like that presented Fig. 4L is a diagrammatic viewby Fig. 1, but with the addition of my improved signal equipment for each of two locomotive-engines on different blocks, the said equipments being represented in their condition when the two trains are running in the same direction with their engines ahead. Fig.

7 is a view like that presented by Fig. 6, but with the signal equipments in their relative conditions when the engines at the headsof two trains on the single track are approach- 0 ing one another head on; and Fig. 8, a diagram substantially like that presented by Fig.

4, but with the pole-changers, which are operatively connected with the reversinglever,

in the condition to which they are brought by reversing the lever.

A and A denote the rails of a railwaytrack, laid, as usual, on ties A Between the track-rails and parallel with them is laid the line B, in pairs of sections B and B, each 7 pair forming a block of, say, two miles, more or less, in length, the alining sections B being insulated from each other, as by spacing them apart at their ends, and the alining sec tions B being similarly insulated, as shown. The block-rails are by preference of the channel shape illustrated, those on one side, as B, being higher than the others. Seven blocks are represented, numbered in succession from 1 to 7, and throughout the system each section B is electrically connected by a conductor a with the second section B beyond it, thereby leaving alternate sections B without electrical connection, so that when two locomotives, each equipped with an electric signal-containing circuit, are located, respectively, on alternate blocks the signal-circuit will be closed on the rearmost one, or on both, depending on conditions, all as hereinafter explained.

To adapt a locomotive-engine to receive a signal in accordance with my improvement, in the preferred form of its embodiment it has pivotally supported upon it to depend below the cab-floor (indicated at 6 in Figs. 2 and 3,)a pair of toggles 0 and 0, each having the pair of pivotally-joined arms formingeach side thereof resiliently connected through the medium of a spring 0 To the lower apex 1 of the toggle c is pivoted a brush 0, shown of a shoe type, and to the corresponding apex of the other toggle is pivoted a similar brush (1, these brushes being adapted to enter the channeled sides of the respective sections B and 13, wherein they are housed for protection and with the under surfaces of the upper flanges of which they are maintained yieldingly in contact by the resilient action of their controlling-toggles to conform to any irregularities in the rail-surfaces along which they are carried. A rod (Z is journaled atits lower end to the pivot connecting the brush (1 with its controlling-toggle c and extends thence upward through the floor Z) into the locomotive-cab, wherein it is pivotally connected with one end of the switch-lever (2 of pole-changer l), The pole-changer D illustrated comprises as its construction, which, however, involves no feature of novelty, an insulating-basef, carrying the segment-contacts 8 and 9 at opposite sides of its center, where the switch-lever c is pivoted between its ends, the corresponding end contacts 10 11, and similar end contacts 12 13, with a spring a on the under side of the lever, toward one end thereof, to bridge across from the contact 8 to either contact 10 or 12, and a spring a, similarly on the lever toward its opposite end,

.to bridge across from the contact 9 to either contact 11 or 13. The device D is contained in the circuit of an electric battery E, which includes a signal F, represented as a bell, though it may be a light or other desired signal, and the brushes C and G form terminals in this circuit. In the complete equipment illustrated the aforesaid circuit also includes two additional pole-changers D and I), each, as represented, of the same construction as the device D. In the device D the switch-lever is denoted e, the central segment-contacts 88 and 99, respectively, the members of one pair of the end contacts 100 and 101, respectively, and those of the other pair of end contacts 112 and 113, respectively. In the device D the switch-lever is denoted a, the central segment-contacts 188 and 199, respectively, the members of one pair of the end contacts 200 and 201, respectively, and those of the other pair of end contacts 212 and 213, respectively. These reference characters are omitted from Figs. 6 and 7 to avoid confusion, but are sufliciently supplied on the larger representations of the parts in Figs. 4t and 8. The levers a" and e are pivotally connected nearcorresponding ends with a horizontally-reciprocable rod having a head g containing a longitudinal lost-motion slot g, and the reversing-lever G of the locomotive is connected with the rod at a stud g extending laterally from the reversing-lever into the slot y.

The operation is as follows: Supposing two trains, each equipped with my improved mechanism, to be respectively on the blocks 6 and 4: with their engines headed and running in the same direction, as indicated by the dotted lines at m {U and the arrows on Fig. 6, then the signal F on the rearmost locomotive will be operated to announce the presence on the block 4 of the train ahead, which has the right of way, but in the locomotive of which the signal will not be operated, the parts of the mechanism being in the condition represented in Fig. 6, wherein the circuits are traceable as follows: from the positive side of the forward battery on the wire w, through the respective devices 1), D, and D to the brush C, contacting with the respective block-section B, which is a dead section, so that no closure of the circuit of that battery is effected and the signal F therein will not operate, from the positive side of the battery E on the rear locomotive, over the wire 20 and-throu h the respective devices D, D, and D to the brush C at the block-section B in block 6 at i over the wire (0 to the brush (1 on block-section B in block 4, thence over the wire 10', through the device D on the forward locomotive, to ground on rail A at 6, through that rail to the point t, thence over the wire w, through the respective signal F, through the device D, and thence through the device D back to the negative pole of the battery E on the rear locomotive.

hen two trains on alternate blocks, as 6 and at, rcspectively,are approaching each other on the single track, with their locomotives headed toward each other, as indicated by the dotted lines :11 w and arrows on Fig. 7, the locomotive on block 4; will be turned around from the position of that described of the forward locomotive in connection with Fig. 6. its brush C will then be in engagement with the higher block-section B and the respective toggle c accordingly contracted by the controlling-springs 0 thereof, while the brush 0 will be in engagement with the lower blocksection B, with its respective toggle c distended against the resistance of its controllingsprings 0 and the consequent relative depression of the brush G will draw downward on the rod d and turn the switch-lever e of the device D on the locomotive at block 4 to the position in which it is represented in Fig. 7, thereby changing the polarity of the battery. Then the signal F on each of the two locomotives will be operated to announce the relative positions of the trains, the circuits being traceable as follows: from the negative side of the battery on block 4, over the wire w, through the respective device D, thence through the devices D and D in succession, to block-section B in that block, over the wire a, connecting that section with block-section B in block 6, whence the wire Q03 passes through the respective devices D and D in succession and proceeds through the respective device D and battery E, connected therewith at the positiveside of that battery. From the opposite side of that battery the wire 10 IIS passes through the devices D and D in succession, then through the signal F on block 6 to t, whence the rail A makes connection with the point 2,, from which the wire leads through the signal F on block 4 and through the devices D and D to the positive side of the battery'E in the locomotive on block 4.

Thus the circuit containing both signals is closed.

Should the lever G on a locomotive be reversed for backlng, the switch-levers e and a on the respective devices D and D will,

by their described connection with the reversing-lever, be turned to change the polarity of the respective battery in a manner well understood in the art, but without changing the conditions as to signaling provided for in the arrangements described relative to Figs. 6 and 7. It will be apparent that when the lever Ur is reversed in the locomotive on block 4 in Fig. 6 the circuits will be as represented in Figs. 7 and 8, while Fig. 4 shows the circuit arrangement of Fig. 6, but on the larger scale observed in Fig. 8. Thus if the forward locomotive should be reversed in motion its circuit would be brought by the reversal to the condition of the circuit of the corresponding locomotive in Fig. 7 without affecting the respective device D, as the locomotive is not turned around, so that the brushes remain in their positions as in Fig. 6. It Will also be apparent that if the rear locomotive in Fig. 6 should be turned around and backed up by throwing the reversing-1e ver, whereby it would be moving in the same direction as statedwith reference to Fig. 6, the brushes would be reversed, C contacting with block-section B and C with block-section B, thereby changing the polarity of the respective batteryE through its pole-changer .D, and the polarity of the circuit would be the same as the circuit of the rear locomotive in Fig. 6, since the throw of the reversing-lever for backing will have turned the switch-levers and 0 thereby producing the same condition of the circuit as in Fig. 6.

Under all conditions, as Will be observed, each locomotive operates its own signal, the locomotive or locomotives on another block merely acting a circuit-closer for it.

The leading feature of my improvement is that of the block-sections B and B of diflerent relative heights to serve in cooperating with the electric signal-controlling mechanism on a locomotive to automatically change the polarity in the battery-circuit of the locomotive when the latter is turned around from heading in one direction to head in the contrary direction, and as the mechanism forming the equipment for this purpose on a locomotive may, without departure from my invention, be variously changed from the construction thereof shown and described I do not intend to be understood as limiting my invention to that particular construction except in those of the appended claims which specify the details thereof herein illustrated and described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, a railway-track, a block system comprising a line of parallel rails between the track-rails divided into longitudinal sections insulated one from the other and forming blocks, with one side of each section electrically connected with the other side of the next section but one, the rails forming one side of said line being higher than those formingthe opposite side thereof, and a loco- -motive electric-signal-containing equipment comprising brushes on a pendent resilient support permitting each brush to engage either side of said block-line, a battery-circuit containing the signal, and a pole-changing device in said circuit connected with said brushes to be actuated by the engagement of a brush with a side of said block-line, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a railway-track, a block system comprising a line of parallel channelrails between the track-rails divided into longitudinal sections insulated one from the other and forming blocks, with one side of each section electrically connected with the other side of the next section but one, the rails forming one side of said line being higher than those forming the opposite side thereof, and a locomotive electric-signal equipment comprising brushes on a pendent resilient support permitting each brush to engage either side of said block-line at the under surface of the upper flange thereof, a battery-circuit containing the signal, and a pole-changing device in said circuit connected with said brushes to be actuated by the engagement of a brush with a side of said block-line, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a railway-track, a block system comprising a line of parallel rails between the track-rails divided into longitudinal sections insulated one from the other and forming blocks, with one side of each section electrically connected with the other side of the next section but one, the rails forming one side of said line being higher than those forming the opposite side thereof, and a locomotive electric-signal-containing equipment comprising brushes on a pendent resilient support permitting each brush to engage either side of said block-line, a battery-circuit containing the signal, a pole-changing device in said circuit connected with said brushes to be actuated by the engagement of a brush with a side of said block-line, and pole-changing devices in said circuit connected with the reversing-lever of the locomotive to be actuated thereby, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a railway-track, a block system comprising a line of parallel rails between the track-rails divided into longitudinal sections insulated one from the other and forming blocks, with one side of each section electrically connected with the other side of the next section but one, the rails forming one side of said line being higher than those forming the opposite side thereof, and a locomotive electric-signal-containing equipment comprising a battery-circuit containing the signal, a pole-changing device in said circuit, dependingresilient toggles carrying brushes to engage said line-rails and included in said circuit, and a rod connecting one of said brushes with the switch-lever of said device, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a railway-track, a block system comprising a line of parallel rails between the track-rails divided into longitudinal sections insulated one from the other and forming blocks, with one side of each section electrically connected with the other side of the next section but one, the rails forn'iing one side of said line being higher than those forming the opposite side thereof, and a locomotive electrie-signal-containing equipment comprising a battery-circuit containing the signal, a pole-changing device in said circuit, depending resilient toggles carrying brushes to engage said line-rails and included in said circuit, a rod connecting one of said brushes with the switch-lever of said device, and a pair of pole-changing devices in said circuit tion electrically connected with the other side of the next section but one, the rails forming one side of said line being higher than those forming the opposite side thereof, and a locomotive electric-signal-containing equipment comprising a battery-circuit containing the signal, a pole-changing device in said circuit, depending spring-controlled toggles having brushes pivotally connected with their lower ends to engage said line-rails and included in said circuit, a rod connecting one of said brushes with the switch-lever of said device, a pair of pole-changing devices in said circuit, and a reciprocable rod connecting the switch-lever of said pair of devices with the reversing-lever of the locomotive to be actuated thereby, substantially as described.

w. BRITTON LANE. 

